Fibers with finish containing organic phosphates and sulphates

ABSTRACT

Excellent performance in cutting and staple spinning is obtained when polyester or polyamide filaments are coated with a finish composition consisting essentially of 60 to 70 percent by weight of diethanolamine salts of a mixture of monoalkyl and dialkyl orthophosphates wherein the alkyl groups contain 8 to 14 carbon atoms, and 40 to 30 percent of a mixture of alkyltrimethylammonium methosulfates wherein the alkyl groups contain at least 8 carbon atoms.

Proffitt, Jr.

FIBERS WITH FINISH CONTAINING ORGANIC PHOSPHATES AND SULPI-IATES Inventor: Thomas Jefferson Proffitt, Jr.,

Kinston, NC.

E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Wilmington, Del.

Filed: Dec. 4, 1972 Appl. No.: 311,778

Assignee:

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 7/1954 Riley et a1. 117/1395 co 1451 Feb. 25, 1975 2,695,270 11/1954 Jefferson et a1 117/139.5 CQ 3,428,481 2/1969 Latschar 117/139.5 CQ 3,549,530 12/1970 Proffitt 117/1395 CQ 3,619,274 11/1971 Proffitt 117/1395 CQ 3,622,378 11/1971 Proffitt 117/1395 CQ Primary Examiner--William D. Martin Assistant Examiner-Theodore G. Davis [57] ABSTRACT Excellent performance in cutting and staple spinning is obtained when polyester or polyamide filaments are coated with a finish composition consisting essentially of 60 to 70 percent by weight of diethanolamine salts of a mixture of monoalkyl and dialkyl orthophosphates wherein the alkyl groups contain 8 to 14 carbon atoms, and 40 to 30 percent of a mixture of alkyltrimethylammonium methosulfates wherein the alkyl groups contain at least 8 carbon atoms.

3 Claims, No Drawings FIBERS WITH FINISH CONTAINING ORGANIC PHOSPHATES AND SULPHATES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention concerns a novel lubricating and antistatic finish composition for synthetic textile fibers. It is more particularly concerned with synthetic polyester and polyamide filaments, tows and staple fibers coated with the finish.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The fiber coated with finish composition of the present invention is a compatible combination of anionic and cationic surfactants which provides highly acceptable processability throughout a broad range of fiber processing conditions and finish concentrations. It is particularly useful in staple manufacturing and processing operation for synthetic fibers such as polyester and polyamide fibers.

The finish composition of this invention consists essentially of, by weight of components exclusive of any diluent present, from 60 to 70 percent of diethanolamine salts of a mixture of monoalkyl and dialkyl orthophosphates wherein the alkyl groups contain 8 to 14 carbon atoms, and 40 to 30 percent of a mixture of alkyltrimethylammonium methosulfates wherein the alkyl groups (other than methyl) contain at least 8 carbon atoms, e.g., 8 to carbon atoms.

A preferred example of the cationic alkyltrimethylammonium methosulfate component is cocotrimethylammonium methosulfate in which the alkyl groups are derived from coconut oil fatty acids of 8 to 18 carbon atoms, with lauric acid being the predominate acid. Preferred anionic components are diethanolamine salts ofa mixture of about equal parts of monoalkyl and dialkylorthophosphates in which the alkyl groups contain 8 to 14 carbon atoms.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The anionic surfactants of the invention are partial esters, preferably about 1/1 mixture of mono/diesters, of orthophosphoric acid and long chain fatty alcohols which may be prepared from a fatty alcohol or mixture of fatty alcohols containing from about 8 through 14 carbon atoms in their alkyl chains. Suitable fatty alcohols are, for example, n-octyl, decyl, dodecyl and tetradecyl alcohols. A preferred commercially available composition is one wherein the alcohols are 50% octyl, decyl and 20% dodecyl-tetradecyl.

For good performance in cutting the tow into staple, an excess of the anionic phosphate component is required. A sufficient amount of the cationic surfactant is required for static protection and lubricity during staple processing. In order to meet both requirements, suitable compositions contain 60 to 70% by weight (53-65 mole of the anionic component and about 40 to 30% by weight(4735 mole of the cationic component. A highly preferred composition contains about 67 weight of the former and 33 weight of the latter. All quantities are exclusive of any application diluent such as water.

The finish composition is preferably applied to filaments or tow as a dilute aqueous mixture, e.g. containing about 0.8 to 5% by weight of the above components.

The finish may be applied to fibers or filaments at any stage, or several stages, of processing as required, and preferably prior to cutting of tow into staple. Any heat treatments, e.g. relaxing after crimping, which can cause changes in the finish composition that result in poor processing should be avoided, where possible, or additional finish applied thereafter.

The invention provides a surprisingly compatible combination of cationic and anionic surfactants which provides highly acceptable processability throughout a broad range of fiber processing conditions and finish concentrations. It is particularly useful in staple manufacturing and processing operations for synthetic fibers such as polyamides and polyesters.

EXAMPLE The performance capability of a finish composition of the invention is demonstrated in melt-spinning, drawcrimping, cutting and staple processing.

For application to poly(ethylene terephthalate) as a spin-finish during melt-spinning, an 0.8% finish dispersion is prepared by the following procedure:

1. Add 200 pounds (90.7 kg.) of hot (70C.) water to a stainless steel weigh tank.

2. Add 44 pounds (20.0 kg.) of 30% aqueous solution of cocotrimethylammonium methosulfate to the hot water in the tank.

3. Add 27 pounds (12.2 kg.) of the diethanolamine salt of a 1/1 mixture of a mono/dimixed-alkyl orthophosphate wherein the alkyl groups are approximately 50% octyl, 30% decyl and 20% dodecyl-tetradecyl mixture to the hot solution in the tank.

4. Pump the mixture into another stainless steel tank to which about 2000 pounds (907 kg.) of hot water at 70C. have already been added.

5. Plush weigh tank with hot water and pump flus water to the tank of Step 4.

6. Add hot water to the same tank to give a total weight of 5,000 pounds (2268 kg.).

7. Mix dispersion in tank by pumping through an external line from the bottom of the tank into the top of the tank for 30 minutes. The finish is ready for use.

The 0.8% dispersion is applied to polyester filaments during spinning by conventional use of a rotating roll dipping into a pan of finish. The spun and quenched filaments are passed over the finish applicator roll to provide a final pickup of finish ingredients exclusive of water of about 0.05%. Sufficient filament bundles are combined and coiled into a large cylindrical piddlercan giving an undrawn tow of 435,200 denier of about 3.4 denier per filament (dpf). The processing occurs smoothly, meeting commercially acceptable operating standards.

A 2% dispersion of finish for use in draw-crimping is prepared by adding additional quantities of the ingredients to 1,300 pounds (590 kg.) of the 0.8% finish remaining from the melt-spinning process:

3. Add 46.6 pounds 21.1 kg.) of the same alkyl phosphate salt as above to the hot water.

4. Pump this mixture into a tank containing 1300 pounds (590 kg.) of the 0.8% finish dispersion.

5. Rinse weigh tank with hot water and pump rinse water into tank with rest of finish dispersion.

6. Add water to finish dispersion tank to make a total of 4000 pounds (1,588 kg.) of the dispersion.

7. Mix dispersion in tank by pumping through an external circulating line from bottom of tank into top of tankfContinue for 30 minutes. Finish is ready for use.

The 2% dispersion is applied to the above polyester tow in a conventional drawing and stuffer-box crimping operation. Ten of the above tows are combined to give a 4.352 million denier tow which is fed to a conventional staple draw machine wherein water at 98C. is sprayed on the tow to assist drawing. This water also washes off 'the 0.05% finish applied at spinning. The draw rolls are running 2.63X the speed of the feed rolls such that the drawn tow has a denier of about 1.9 to 2.0 million after it is relaxed. The tow enters a stuffing-box crimper, is crimped and falls onto a conveyor belt which takes it through a relaxer oven to give a timetemperature exposure of 20 minutes at 125C. The 2% finish dispersion is sprayed onto both sides of the wet, drawn tow as it passes through a chute between the draw machine and the crimper and also onto both sides of the crimped tow as it falls from the crimper to the relaxer conveyor belt. The crimped tow emerges from the relaxer with 0.049% finish. The operating continuity of the drawing and crimping operation is satisfactory and up to commercially acceptable standards. No metallic corrosion is observed although the cocotrimethylammonium methosulfate causes rusting of -metal when used without the phosphate salt.

The crimped tow is packed into boxes and transferred for cutting whereupon two ends of the crimped tow are plied to provide a 4 million denier tow which is fed into a helical saw cutter at the rate of 91.5 yards per minute (83.7 meters per minute) where it is cut into 1.5 inch (3.8 cm.) staple length. The finish provides excellent processability with no knife deposits being observed and with filament fusing of cut ends meeting commercial standards.

To provide staple with a range of finish concentrations for testing during spinning on the cotton system, additional finish is sprayed onto the 1.5 dpf, 1.5 inch (3.8 cm.) poly(ethylene terephthalate) staple. This is accomplished by spraying on separate 50-pound (22.7 kg.) batches of staple various quantities ofa finish dispersion (composed of 3.3% cocotrimethylammonium methosulfate, 6.7% of the same alkyl phosphate salt as above, and 90% water) each diluted to 800 cc with water for more uniform dispersion on the staple to obtain total finish levels as shown in the following Table:

TABLE Total Finish on (cc of 10% Dispersion) TABLE-Continued Amount Sprayed on Staple Total Finish on (cc of 10% Dispersion) Staplc* 0.049% applied pre-relaxer oven. and initially present on cut staple.

For application, the staple is dropped into a plastic lined tow box in handful lots and each sprayed separately. The pounds of staple is then mixed by hand and allowed to stand overnight in a sealed plastic bag to help distribute the finish before spreading to air dry.

When the staple batches are tested on the cotton system of staple processing, the item with 0.06% finish is found to give the best balance of performance with regard to static electrification control and acceptable spinning roll wraps under commercial operating conditions. Similar staple items with the same finish composition are found to give acceptable performance over a surprisingly broad finish level range of about 0.055% to 0.085% by weight finish on fiber. Operability over such a range of finish concentrations is quite desirable and difficult to achieve for a multipurpose finish of this type. Such a range of finish concentration operability provides greater latitude in manufacturing control.

Excellent cutting and staple spinning performance is also observed when this finish is applied prior to crimping of 1.5 dpf tow of poly(m-phenylene isophthalamide).

1 claim:

1. A fiber coated with a finish composition consisting essentially of, by weight, from 60 to 70 percent of diethanolamine salts of a mixture of monoalkyl and dialkyl orthophosphates wherein the alkyl groups contain 8 to 14 carbon atoms, and from 40 to 30 percent of a mixture of alkyltrimethylammonium methosulfates wherein the alkyl groups contain at least 8 carbon atoms.

2. A finish fiber coated with composition as defined in claim 1, the finish consisting essentially of 60 to percent by weight of diethanolamine salts of a mixture of about equal parts of monoalkyl and dialkyl ortho- 

1. A FIBER COATED WITH A FINISH COMPOSITION CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF BY WEIGHT, FROM 60 TO 70 PERCENT OF DIETHANOLAMINE SALTS OF A MIXTURE OF MONOALKYL AND DIALKYL ORTHOPHOSPHATES WHEREIN THE ALKYL GROUPS CONTAIN 8 TO 14 CARBON ATOMS, AND FROM 40 TO 30 PERCENT OF A MIXTURE OF ALKYLTRIMETHYLAMMONIUM METHOSULFATES WHEREIN THE ALKYL GROUPS CONTAIN AT LEAST 8 CARBON ATOMS.
 2. A finish fiber coated with composition as defined in claim 1, the finish consisting essentially of 60 to 70 percent by weight of diethanolamine salts of a mixture of about equal parts of monoalkyl and dialkyl orthophosphates in which the alkyl groups contain 8 to 14 carbon atoms, and 40 to 30 percent by weight of cocotrimethylammonium methosulfate.
 3. A coated fiber as defined in claim 1 having about 0.055 to about 0.085 percent by weight finish on fiber. 